Buff Dormeier, CMT
Partner and Chief Technical Analyst, Kingsview Partners
Buff Dormeier, CMT® provides four important roles to our clientele that of a financial advisor, consultant, analyst, and a portfolio manager. Armed with proprietary indicators and investment programs, Buff dynamically advises affluent and institutional clientele on strategies to help meet their specific investment objectives in what are often uncertain investment climates. As an advisor, Buff has been named a “Best in State Wealth Advisor” by Forbes*. As an analyst in 2007, Buff’s technical research was awarded the Charles H. Dow Award**, distinguishing him as the only financial advisor to thus far win the Award. The Charles H. Dow Award is considered one of the most important recognitions in the field of technical analysis. As an accomplished portfolio manager applying advanced technical/quant analysis, some simply refer to Buff as “the geek”.
However, Buff considers himself to be an evangelist of sorts. He enjoys sharing his investment theories as a foremost expert on volume analysis presenting at international conferences such as TradeStation’s World Conference, Latin America’s Portfolio Manager’s Conference, and the World Money Show.
An award-winning author (2012’s Technical Analyst Book of the Year / Trader Planet’s Top Book Resource 2011), Buff literally wrote the book on “Investing with Volume Analysis” partnering with the Financial Times Press, Pearson Publishing and the Wharton School. Buff’s research has been further featured with press partners including Barron’s, Stock’s & Commodities, Futures and Active Trader magazines, The Financial Times, C-NBC, Market Watch as well as a variety of technical journals. Buff is featured in “Technical Analysis and Behavior Finance in Fund Management” – a European book comprised of interviews with 21 esteemed portfolio managers.
Buff is a former Fort Wayne / Indiana Marathon champion. Although his competitive distance training is on hold, Buff still enjoys a good long run on occasion. Buff is a member of the Chartered Market Technicians Association and Emmanuel Community Church. He is married to his beloved bride Kathy, father of two adored children Hadassah and Kaleo, and best friend to his Rhodesian Ridgeback Dutch.
Rob Langrick, CFA, CIPM
General Manager of the CFA Program
Rob Langrick, CFA, CIPM, is General Manager of the CFA Program based out of the New York office. He was previously Head of Practice Analysis, overseeing annual curriculum updates to the CFA Program. Before joining CFA Institute, he lead Bloomberg’s finance education division where he built and launched Bloomberg’s certification product. He began his career as a sell-side equity research analyst in London and after earning his MBA from Dartmouth worked in the private equity diligence unit of Bain & Company in New York.
Dr. Mahmoud M. Haddad
Professor of Finance at The University of Tennessee at Martin
Dr. Haddad received a B.A. and M.B.A. in Accounting from Minnesota State University, and a Ph.D. in Finance from The University of Alabama. He has taught finance at Wayne State University, The University of Tennessee at Martin, University of Alabama, Arab American University-Jenin, American University of Armenia, American University of Beirut, Al-Quds University, Eastern Michigan University and Minnesota State University. He is also certified in e-teaching and learning, and he has broad experience in distance and online teaching at both the graduate and undergraduate levels. Dr. Haddad has published over 30 papers which have been published in leading refereed journals.
Dr. Haddad was the Financial and Accounting Manager at the American Family Insurance Co., the Executive Director of Research at the Palestinian Monetary Authority, the Vice President for Administrative and Financial Affairs and Dean of College of Business and Financial Sciences at Arab American University, and a Research Scholar and Head of Economic and Social Studies Division at the Emirates Center for Strategic Studies and Research. He is the co-director of the UT Martin Tennessee Valley Authority Investment Challenge program and a UDAID Visiting Scholar. The Board of Trustees of the Economic Research Forum of the Arab Countries, Iran, and Turkey awarded Dr. Haddad a life membership as an ERF Research Fellow.
Nell Gullett, D.B.A.
Professor of Accounting at The University of Tennessee at Martin
Nell Gullett, D.B.A., is a Professor of Finance at The University of Tennessee at Martin. Her research portfolio includes numerous scholarly publications and presentations. Dr. Gullett is a three-time recipient of The University of Tennessee National Alumni Association Outstanding Teaching Award.
Mathews, Thomas (MA [Econ], MBA [Fin], CFA)
Instructor in Finance, Florida Gulf Coast University
Mr. Thomas Mathews is an Instructor in Finance. He received his M.A. [Econ] from the University of Missouri-Kansas City and his MBA [Fin] from Seton Hall University, NJ. He teaches in the areas of Business Finance and Security Analysis and his research interests include pedagogy and banking. Mr. Mathews has extensive experience in banking [> 30 years], serving as Treasurer at two banks; prior to switching careers, he was CFO of Spencer Savings Bank in NJ. He currently serves on the Board of CFA Society Naples and is a member of the Fundraising Committee of the Women’s Care Center of Naples.
Laura Hatch
Assistant professor of Accounting at The University of Tennessee at Martin
Laura Hatch is an assistant professor of Accounting at The University of Tennessee at Martin. Dr. Hatch’s research areas include forensic accounting, governmental accounting, and corporate finance. She also has been a licensed and active CPA in Tennessee since 2017.
Ronald Mushock, CFA
Professor, Florida Gulf Coast University | MBA, CFA
With over 25 years of experience in portfolio management and equity research, I am passionate about teaching and learning. As a Professor of Finance at Florida Gulf Coast University, I leverage my analytical skills and industry knowledge to deliver real-world money management experience to my Student Managed Investment Fund class. I hold a CFA designation, an MBA from New York University, and a Bachelor of Science degree from Seton Hall University. Prior to joining FGCU, I was a Portfolio Manager and Managing Partner at Systematic Financial Management, where I managed over $8 billion in assets in Mid and Smid Cap Value equity portfolios for some of the world’s largest institutional investors. I also worked as an Equity Analyst at Standard & Poor's Equity Research, where I provided in-depth research and recommendations on publicly traded companies.
Dr. Tarek Zaher
SMIFC Managing Director & Co-founder, SMIFC South Corporation- President
Professor of Finance, Scott College of Business, Indiana State University
Dr. Zaher is the Managing Director & Co-founder of SMIFC, and president of SMIFC South Corporation. Dr. Zaher has held a number of academic and professional positions with the industry. He is currently Professor of Finance at Scott College of Business, Indiana State University. He also provided consulting services to a number of international institutions including the World Bank, the William Davidson Institute at the University of Michigan, and the Academy for Educational Development in the United States and the Ministry of Work in Dubai. He has also offered a number of seminars in investment and international financial management at a number of institutions around the world.
Dr. Zaher is Advisor of the Investment Club at Indiana State University. He also manages and supervises other international portfolios for individuals and institutions. Dr. Zaher’s research has been published in numerous prestigious professional and scholarly journals, including the Journal of Financial Research and Journal of Banking and Finance. Dr. Zaher received three research awards from professional conferences and one research certificate of excellence. He was also recognized by the Scott College of Business as the winner of the faculty research award in 2002 and the winner of the exemplary service award in 2004, and received "Under the Buttonwood" award in 2018 for my role in growing the SMIF consortium.
Brian R. Bruce
Chair, Board of Director at The Center for Investment Research
Brian is Chair, Board of Director at The Center for Investment Research.
Brian was previously a CEO and Chief Investment Officer at Hillcrest Asset Management, an institutional equity management firm based in Dallas. He was also an adjunct professor at Baylor University.
Brian received his M.B.A. from the University of Chicago, M.S. in Computer Science from DuPaul University, and a B.S. in Business Administration from Illinois State University. He is a member of the Illinois State University College of Business Hall of Fame and is winner of the University of Chicago Graduate School of Business CEO Award.
Brian has published numerous scholarly articles and books including Analysts, Lies, and Statistics which he co-authored with Harvard Business School professor Mark Bradshaw. He is also the Editor-in-Chief of Institutional Investor’s Journal of Investing, Editor of the Journal of Behavioral Finance and Editor of the Journal of Trading. Brian frequently appears in the media including NBC, ABC, CNBC, Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg, Washington Post, New York Times, Associated Press, Reuters, Financial Times, and Business Week. He was awarded the SMU Cox Media Expert of the Year Award in 2008. Brian also serves on many boards of directors, including The Center for Investment Research, the Dreman Family of Mutual Funds, the CM Family of Mutual Funds and the Institute of Behavioral Finance.
Dr. Matthew Lutey
B. Rauner Endowed Chair and Assistant Professor of Finance
Dr. Matthew Lutey, the B. Rauner Business and Economics Endowed Chair and Assistant Professor in the Business Administration Department at Morehouse College, has made impressive strides in the field of finance research. Dr. Lutey has recently authored four research papers that have been accepted for publication, with one paper also invited for presentation at a prestigious academic conference. His work dives into innovative investment strategies, technical analysis, and corporate governance, contributing valuable insights to the field of finance.
Dr. Lutey’s contributions demonstrate his commitment to advancing financial research and education. His work on investment strategies and corporate governance not only underscores the analytical rigor required in finance but also supports Morehouse College’s mission to develop future business leaders and thinkers who are well-equipped with cutting-edge knowledge. Through his scholarship, Dr. Lutey is making a substantial impact in the academic and professional finance communities, providing essential research that influences both theory and practice.
Dr. Wassim Dbouk
Founding Member
Director, Investment Management Program, OSB
Associate Professor of Finance
Lead in Empirical Finance
Dr. Dbouk joined AUB in 2007 as an assistant professor of finance. Along his journey at AUB, he developed expertise in research, teaching, and service. His research focuses on the fields of debt markets (fixed income investments and banking), economic uncertainty, supply chain finance, and gender studies. He published in reputable journals, such as “Research Policy”, “International Journal of Production Economics”, “Journal of Financial Stability”, “Journal of Futures Markets”, “The European Journal of Finance”, and “International Review of Financial Analysis”. His papers rely on advanced quantitative skills and forecasting techniques, and delve into the financial markets of the Arab world as well as the US financial markets. His teaching interests vary across a wide spectrum of courses and programs. He has been teaching at the undergraduate, graduate, and executive levels. His main teaching interests evolve around corporate finance, valuation, financial modeling, and commercial bank management courses. Also, he has been involved in external education where he has given many workshops to executives from Lebanon and the Arab world.
Dr. Dbouk served as a founding director to the Master of Finance program at OSB. More recently, Dr. Dbouk has been instrumental in designing and launching the Investment Management Program at AUB. Currently, he serves as the director of the program. Finally, Dr. Dbouk has been active on gender issues and is a founding member of the Center for Inclusive Business & Leadership for Women at AUB.
Mosab Hammoudeh
Assistant professor in the Department of Economics and Finance at University of New Orleans
Mosab Hammoudeh is an assistant professor in the Department of Economics and Finance at UNO. Mosab received his Ph.D. in finance from the University of Iowa in 2021 and an MBA from Indiana State University in 2014. His research interests are primarily in corporate finance, investments, mergers & acquisitions, innovation, and product markets. His research has been published in leading academic journals such as the Review of Financial Studies, Journal of Corporate Finance, Financial Management, and presented at international conferences including AFA, WFA, FMA, NBER, and MFA. Mosab’s research interests include financial management and corporate finance empirical research.
Alaa Abu Mallouh
PhD candidate in Financial Economics at the University of New Orleans
Alaa Abu Mallouh is a PhD candidate in Financial Economics at the University of New Orleans, specializing in empirical corporate finance. Alaa holds a Bachelor's degree in Accounting and two Master's degrees in Finance and Accounting. A dedicated academic and researcher, Alaa has taught courses in finance, economics, and business statistics, with a strong commitment to fostering a deep understanding of financial concepts and their real-world applications among students.
Alaa is actively involved in the Student Managed Investment Fund (SMIF), where they gain practical experience in portfolio management, risk assessment, and investment decision-making. In this role, Alaa collaborates with students to analyze market trends, evaluate investment opportunities, and manage a diversified investment portfolio. This hands-on experience not only deepens their understanding of financial markets but also enhances their ability to make informed investment decisions. Through SMIF, Alaa helps students develop critical skills in financial analysis, decision-making, and portfolio management, preparing them for successful careers in finance.
Ryan Edwards
Student at Florida gulf Cost University, double majoring in Finance and Economics
He is a junior at Florida Gulf Coast University, double majoring in Finance and Economics. Mr. Edwards writes a dual weekly blog about the economy and financial markets. He has also hosted many interviews for his blog with individuals in the investment management space, including Liz Ann Sonders, Tom Lee, and Josh Brown. Mr. Edwards is the lead contributor at The Investing Authority and also writes for Wolf Financial. He focuses on the global and domestic economy and how it impacts financial markets. He tries to bring a Gen Z perspective to finance and investing.
Lynne Mokdad
Finance Student at American Univserity of Beirut
Portfolio Manager at the Investment Management Program
Lynne Mokdad is a third-year student at the American University of Beirut, majoring in Business Administration with a concentration in Finance. She is a member of the Investment Management Program, where she serves as a Portfolio Manager, gaining hands-on experience in asset allocation, portfolio management, and security selection. In this role, she specializes in valuing and writing equity research reports for companies in the information technology, communication services, and materials sectors. Lynne has also interned at Standard Chartered Bank (SCB) in the Financial Markets division, where she contributed to financial modeling, credit risk assessment, and market analysis. Her strong performance has led her to an incoming graduate position at SCB under the Capital Structure and Rating Advisory team, where she will continue to refine her expertise in financial structuring and advisory services.
Christopher Hage
Economics Student at American Univserity of Beirut
Portfolio Manager at the Investment Management Program
Christopher Hage is a third-year Economics student at the American University of Beirut with a strong passion for finance. He is a Portfolio Manager at the Investment Management Program, where he oversees the financials, utilities, and healthcare sectors, managing investments in both stocks and bonds. In this role, he conducts in-depth financial analysis and strategic decision-making to optimize portfolio performance. As part of the program, Christopher and his team won the Nvidia Valuation Competition at the Student Managed Investment Fund Consortium (SMIFC), demonstrating his strong analytical and valuation skills. He previously interned at Kearney, where he worked on high-impact consulting projects, and he is now an incoming Business Analyst at Kearney Dubai, where he will further develop his expertise in consulting and problem-solving. His experience spans financial modeling, investment analysis, and strategic consulting, positioning him as a driven and ambitious professional eager to make an impact in the business world.
Mazen Debian
Finance and Accounting Student at American Univserity of Beirut
Portfolio Manager at the Investment Management Program
Mazen Debian is a senior at the American University of Beirut, majoring in Business Administration with a double concentration in Finance and Accounting. He is a Portfolio Manager in the Investment Management Program, where he specializes in covering the energy, consumer, and industrials sectors. Through this role, he has gained extensive experience in asset allocation, portfolio management, and equity research. Mazen has demonstrated outstanding analytical and financial modeling skills, achieving impressive results in competitions such as winning the NVDA Valuation Competition at SMIFC and securing 2nd place in the McGill International Portfolio Challenge. He previously interned as a Summer Associate at Strategy&, where he contributed to strategic advisory projects. His performance has earned him a full-time position as a Management Consultant at Strategy& in Dubai, where he will be joining in September.